Falling to Pieces
by Erizazz
Summary: As Hermione's life falls apart, who's going to be there to pick up the pieces?
1. Prologue: Two More Lonely People

**Prologue: Two More Lonely People**

She sits alone in a compartment as the train meanders through a lush valley, a scarlet snake slowly making its way through an otherwise emerald landscape. She glances out the window as another girl, slightly taller, slides open the compartment door. The second girl sits as the first cracks open a book to an unidentified page.

The taller girl decides to speak before the other becomes too immersed in the words of the author.

"Mione? Mione?"

The girl finally looks up as the train passes a thundering waterfall.

"Mione? You're sure you'll keep in touch with my brother? He'll be heartbroken if you don't."

She smiles, nods, and returns to her book.

He sits alone in a compartment near the back of the train, shunned by others. They all know what happened in years prior: the pressure, his deceit, his struggle to feel adequate in their eyes.

But they were in prison, where they could not damage his mentality no matter how hard they tried. He could change for the better, if only everyone would give him a chance. A small girl, no older than twelve, scurries by and stops to glance in. She takes one look at him and instantly runs off.

He sighs. Can anyone let him reform?


	2. Chapter 1: Parallel

**Chapter 1: Parallel**

"Mione. Mione, we're almost here."

"Uhwhaa?" Hermione Granger woke up to the gentle nudging of her best friend, Ginny Weasley.

"Hermione. We have to go change. I can't be late."

She was absolutely right, of course. It would reflect badly on Ginny if she were late. She was Head Girl. Headmistress McGonagall would not be happy if the sunny redhead were tardy.

Hermione should have been closer to Ginny than ever, now that they were both in the same year and Harry and Ron had chosen to go directly into Auror training. Instead, she felt separated from everyone, and she was (most unusually) bewildered as to why. Hermione sighed as she picked up her robes and left to change.

She sat to Ginny's right at the Gryffindor table. It was only after Ginny was distracted by an exceptionally hilarious joke that Hermione glanced around, not tied to any particular conversation. To her disgust, the first thing she noticed was the smirking face of Draco Malfoy.

_Why on earth was he here?_

She took a deep breath and turned back around, fervently hoping their paths would not cross.

Hermione shut her book with a thud and grabbed the jar of Floo Powder sitting on the table. She padded over to the fireplace and threw a handful in.

"Ron? Ron! Get over here!"

"You're friendly," was his sarcastic reply as he strode into the room towards the fireplace.

He sat down. "So, you make it okay?"

"Absolutely. Not a single near-death experience."

Ronald Weasley smiled. "Nice. So is anyone else from our year back like you are?"

He was not expecting her to say yes. But he was further unprepared for what came next.

"Draco Malfoy."

* * *

><p><span>Granger<span> was here? Figures. She was such a perfectionist.

He had glimpsed her bushy tan hair as she exited the Great Hall-ungracefully, he might add. She had tripped, not 3 feet past the doorway.

The instant he saw her, he _**knew**_, deep down in his heart.

He would have to put up with her constant nagging all year.

With that thought, he strolled down to Slughorn's office to pick up his schedule.

He had fulfilled most of his requirements last year because he had remained at Hogwarts last year. But he hadn't taken enough classes. To formally finish his education, he still needed to take and pass Charms 7, Transfiguration 7, and Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts. He looked down at the schedule given to him by the squat professor. _Excellent_. Charms and Transfiguration on Monday, DADA on Tuesday. The rest of the week to relax. Not bad. If only he could be sure none of those classes also included _her_.

Walking down the corridor, he ran into the one person he was hoping to avoid.

_Granger_.

"What in the name of Merlin was that for?"

"It's not like I meant to. Why are you even down here?"

"If you must know, I am picking up a book. Professor Slughorn ordered it for me."

What was she, five? "You couldn't order it yourself?"

"_Someone's_ nosy. He gets a teachers' discount. I have to go now, because unlike _you_, I still lack a schedule.

Merlin, was he annoying.

Hermione looked down at the schedule Professor Cantor had given her.

_Charms 7: Monday, 9:00-10:30_

_Transfiguration 7: Monday, 13:30-15:00_

_Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00_

It looked exactly like Malfoy's, which she had glimpsed when he had so rudely bumped into her.

She groaned. It was going to be a long year.


End file.
